Ruler



(Model?) P. A. OOMBES.

RULER.

' No. 336,700. I Patented Feb. 23, 1886.

w/ 771/555, vvs/v 7 0/7,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK A. GOMBES, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

EPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 336,700, dated February23, 1886.

Application filed March 6, 1885. Serial No. 157.986. (Modem To all whomit may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK A. Germans, of Cleveland, in the county ofOuyahoga and Stateof Ohio, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Rulers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of rules used for ruling lines inbooks or on paper with ruling-pens; and it consists of a straight stripof wood or metal having a ruling edge of peculiar formation, whereby aledge is formed having a groove or space back of the downhanging edge,the object of which is to provide a means of preventing any ink whichmay attach to the said ruling-edge flowing down onto the paper.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a rule having myimproved rulingedge. Fig. 2 is an end view of the same, and Fig. 3 is anend view of same made of sheet metal.

A is a rule or straight-edge, the ruling-edge of which has a groove, a,out along the lower corner, leaving adown-hanging ledge, I), standingoutward from the body of the rule. The front edge of said ledge isrounded and forms the straight-edge along which the pen is carried indrawing the line. The highest point of the groove a, it will be noticed,is on a higher level than the lowest point of the said ledge b, so thatany ink which attaches to the rulingedge will not flow up and back insaid groove, but will be arrested and remain on the said ledge b,thereby overcoming any liability to the ink running down and blottingthe paper.

In making the rule of sheet metal the said groove and ledge may beformed by bending the edge of the metal, as shown in Fig. 3. Theopposite edge of the rule is beveled, and has a graduated scale formeasuring purposes; and in case of the rule being made of wood, theremay be a strip of metal attached to the under side, having a sharp edgeto prevent slipping, and also to form a papei cutter.

I am aware that rulers have been heretofore made with grooved edgesadapted to permit the ink to flow into the grooves and be re tainedthere, or to be absorbed by a blotter held in the groove. My inventiondiffers from thos 3, in that, by virtue of the groove being undercut andupward, the ink is prevented from flowing into it, and adheres to thefront edge.

Having thus described my invention, I

claim- As a new article of manufacture, a ruler having a forward anddownward projecting ledge at its ruling-edge, substantially asdescribed.

FBANK A. COAIBES.

Witnesses:

E. \V. LAIRD, GEo. W. TIBBITTs.

